Human body communication is where a signal is transmitted by using a human body rather than by using a wire. In human body communication, the electrical signal is transmitted through the human body without using electric wires since the human body conducts electricity.
Recently, various information communication apparatuses such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable personal computer, a digital camera, an MP3 player, and a cellular phone have been widely used. Users use information by transmitting/receiving e-mails and downloading data through these apparatuses. However, simple data transmitting/receiving cannot be achieved by using these apparatuses since they require a physical communication line (e.g., a cable), a predetermined adaptor, or a connector in order to transmit information stored in one communication device to another communication device.
Also, when apparatuses for checking health status, for example an electrocardiograph (ECG), a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) module, and a heart monitor transmit results to a computer or other communication apparatuses so that the results are used along with other information, a physical communication line should be used as the data are transmitted between the above-described communication apparatuses.
Particularly, when these apparatuses are connected by cables in the vicinity of the human body to perform the data communication, the cables apply a load on the human body and disturb mobility of the human.
The communication apparatuses and the apparatuses for checking health status have common functions, such as display, memory, and digital signal processing functions, as well as unique functions for converting digital information into a voice signal or communicating with the Internet or other users. Accordingly, when these functions are properly applied, they can efficiently use communication resources and perform simple and easy data communication. For this purpose, human body communication has been developed.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.